Recipe: a modern twist on the traditional dacquoise
***Rachel Khoo would like to thank all the inspiring people who helped make the Khoollect studio a hive of creativity. Although the Khoollect studio’s doors have now closed, you can keep up with Rachel’s newest adventures on RachelKhoo.com and on Rachel’s Instagram and Facebook pages – and, continue to enjoy the Khoollect website’s stories and recipes, which will remain available.***
An updated version of a classic dacquoise, this deliciously light cake is sandwiched together with luscious rich buttercream icing, and topped with juicy plump figs and bashed up chunks of praline.
*This cake looks stunning topped with hazelnut praline. Get the recipe and make it while the cake’s in the oven.
Recipe and styling by Khoollect Food Editor Frankie Unsworth
Hazelnut dacquoise
Line a large baking tray (or two smaller ones) with baking paper. Use a pencil to mark out two 20cm circles on the paper. Or, if you have two 20cm metal pastry rings, line these and use them to bake your cakes.
Preheat the oven to 150°C (fan)/30F°C. Pop the hazelnuts in a food processor and blitz to a fine powder. Put in a bowl. Sieve in the icing sugar and flour and whisk to combine with the hazelnuts. Set aside.
Place the egg whites in a freestanding mixer and whisk until frothy. Once frothy add the caster sugar one spoonful at a time. Keep whisking until you have glossy stiff peaks.
Add half the dry ingredients to the bowl and combine by folding with a spatula. Add the remaining ingredients and very lightly fold in. Place in a piping bag. Pipe thick lines in a circular motion from the centre of the circles you’ve drawn to create two spirals.
If you’re using the pastry rings do the same, then use a palette knife to spread the meringue mixture out across the top to the edges. Repeat to use up all the mixture.
Place in the oven for 30 minutes, or until cooked through and dry to the touch. Flip the layers over and peel the paper off carefully. Cool on a wire rack.
Make the buttercream while the dacquoise is cooking. Place the water in a small saucepan and pour the sugar over it. Using a candy thermometer, heat the mixture to 117°C/243°F. Place the egg yolks in a freestanding mixer and add the hot sugar to the yolks while whisking. Add the butter one cube at a time until you get a thick and stiff buttercream. Whisk in the hazelnut butter. Place in the fridge if it is too soft.
To assemble the cake, place one layer of the dacquoise on a cake stand. Spoon on a thick layer of the buttercream and smooth over with a palette knife. Add the other dacquoise to the top and follow with another layer of buttercream. Smooth over with a palette knife again. To decorate, sprinkle hazelnut praline around the edge of the cake and then decorate with bigger chunks of praline, bay leaves, rosemary and quartered fresh figs.
Line a large baking tray (or two smaller ones) with baking paper. Use a pencil to mark out two 20cm circles on the paper. Or, if you have two 20cm metal pastry rings, line these and use them to bake your cakes.
Preheat the oven to 150°C (fan)/30F°C. Pop the hazelnuts in a food processor and blitz to a fine powder. Put in a bowl. Sieve in the icing sugar and flour and whisk to combine with the hazelnuts. Set aside.
Place the egg whites in a freestanding mixer and whisk until frothy. Once frothy add the caster sugar one spoonful at a time. Keep whisking until you have glossy stiff peaks.
Add half the dry ingredients to the bowl and combine by folding with a spatula. Add the remaining ingredients and very lightly fold in. Place in a piping bag. Pipe thick lines in a circular motion from the centre of the circles you’ve drawn to create two spirals.
If you’re using the pastry rings do the same, then use a palette knife to spread the meringue mixture out across the top to the edges. Repeat to use up all the mixture.
Place in the oven for 30 minutes, or until cooked through and dry to the touch. Flip the layers over and peel the paper off carefully. Cool on a wire rack.
Make the buttercream while the dacquoise is cooking. Place the water in a small saucepan and pour the sugar over it. Using a candy thermometer, heat the mixture to 117°C/243°F. Place the egg yolks in a freestanding mixer and add the hot sugar to the yolks while whisking. Add the butter one cube at a time until you get a thick and stiff buttercream. Whisk in the hazelnut butter. Place in the fridge if it is too soft.
To assemble the cake, place one layer of the dacquoise on a cake stand. Spoon on a thick layer of the buttercream and smooth over with a palette knife. Add the other dacquoise to the top and follow with another layer of buttercream. Smooth over with a palette knife again. To decorate, sprinkle hazelnut praline around the edge of the cake and then decorate with bigger chunks of praline, bay leaves, rosemary and quartered fresh figs.
An updated version of a classic dacquoise, this deliciously light cake is sandwiched together with luscious rich buttercream icing, and topped with juicy plump figs and bashed up chunks of praline.
*This cake looks stunning topped with hazelnut praline. Get the recipe and make it while the cake’s in the oven.
Recipe and styling by Khoollect Food Editor Frankie Unsworth
Hazelnut dacquoise
Line a large baking tray (or two smaller ones) with baking paper. Use a pencil to mark out two 20cm circles on the paper. Or, if you have two 20cm metal pastry rings, line these and use them to bake your cakes.
Preheat the oven to 150°C (fan)/30F°C. Pop the hazelnuts in a food processor and blitz to a fine powder. Put in a bowl. Sieve in the icing sugar and flour and whisk to combine with the hazelnuts. Set aside.
Place the egg whites in a freestanding mixer and whisk until frothy. Once frothy add the caster sugar one spoonful at a time. Keep whisking until you have glossy stiff peaks.
Add half the dry ingredients to the bowl and combine by folding with a spatula. Add the remaining ingredients and very lightly fold in. Place in a piping bag. Pipe thick lines in a circular motion from the centre of the circles you’ve drawn to create two spirals.
If you’re using the pastry rings do the same, then use a palette knife to spread the meringue mixture out across the top to the edges. Repeat to use up all the mixture.
Place in the oven for 30 minutes, or until cooked through and dry to the touch. Flip the layers over and peel the paper off carefully. Cool on a wire rack.
Make the buttercream while the dacquoise is cooking. Place the water in a small saucepan and pour the sugar over it. Using a candy thermometer, heat the mixture to 117°C/243°F. Place the egg yolks in a freestanding mixer and add the hot sugar to the yolks while whisking. Add the butter one cube at a time until you get a thick and stiff buttercream. Whisk in the hazelnut butter. Place in the fridge if it is too soft.
To assemble the cake, place one layer of the dacquoise on a cake stand. Spoon on a thick layer of the buttercream and smooth over with a palette knife. Add the other dacquoise to the top and follow with another layer of buttercream. Smooth over with a palette knife again. To decorate, sprinkle hazelnut praline around the edge of the cake and then decorate with bigger chunks of praline, bay leaves, rosemary and quartered fresh figs.
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